Bring Back The Sun
by GNess
Summary: -COMPLETE!- Post OotP; Harry is analyzing feelings he didn't think he'd ever have while Ron fends Luna off with a broomstick and Neville chases after Hermione.
1. There's Nothing Sweet About It

****

Warning: Contains MAJOR spoilers for book 5, so don't read it if you don't want it all spoiled.

Bring Back The Sun

****

01. There's Nothing Sweet About It

__

You're falling back to me

The star that I can see

I know you're out there

Somewhere out there

Harry had not had the best summer, though Harry never usually had very good summers. He never did anything overly extraordinary, and unless you counted nearly being rendered soulless but a couple of dementors, Harry's summers had never been very interesting, either. There was that time when he blew up his aunt (his uncle's sister, Marge, who insisted upon telling him what was wrong with him every time she saw him); or the time he found a house elf on his bed and nearly got expelled from Hogwarts when the elf had exploded a large pudding; then there was that time when six or seven wizards turned up at number four Privet Drive to escort him to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix which happened to house his best friends and an escaped convict who happened to be his godfather.

All and all, Harry Potter's summers were rather ordinary.

It was his sixteenth birthday when he received an owl that changed the course of his summer indefinitely. There weren't too many words on the rolled up, scorched piece of parchment but Harry knew immediately who it was from. He took in the scrawl eagerly and ignored the tiny owl who was hooting madly atop his own owl's cage. Hedwig watched the smaller owl indignantly before turning her back on Harry and tucking her beak under her wing. 

Harry was thinking bitterly about how there was nothing sweet about turning sixteen as his eyes scanned the page, not taking any of the words in. Sometimes, Harry's anger seemed to cause him temporary blindness. Suddenly, he stopped thinking and concentrated on the page in front of him.

__

Harry - We're coming to get you. -Ron

Though he was desperate for any sign of life from the wizarding world, Harry could help but feel a huge jolt in his stomach. Ron's note reminded him of the life he had left behind a month ago, a life that he couldn't live without, yet didn't want to go back to. It all reminded him.

Sirius' face swam into his consciousness and he gulped. He'd done his best to keep thoughts and feelings of his godfather at bay, but sometimes they'd come floating back and Harry could feel the familiar pricking behind his eyelids as tears threatened to overcome him. He fought it, as he always did; shaking his head and cramming his fists into the pockets of his overly large jeans, and casting his eyes at his owl, or his broomstick which had been confiscated most of last year, but was now once more in his possession. He thought of the things that usually made him happy, but was sad to find that today they just made him dread the coming days, and the rest of his life.

  
The parchment, crumpled, was thrown into the waste bin and Harry threw himself down on his bed, hearing the satisfying crunch of the mattress springs cracking under his weight. His bed was in bad shape, but only because it was so old, and had been used previously by his cousin, Dudley, who was not the thinnest person in the world.

His birthday was usually a happy time, it marked another year he had lived…but this year, all it brought was more pain. The sadness that threatened to swallow Harry whole was becoming too much for him to handle himself. However, he had no one to turn to, to confide in. His friends were busy, doing things without him, with their families. Harry's only living family were downstairs at the moment, watching the news and complaining about him. The person who had been home to him, who he had hoped to have a home with, was gone now. And he wasn't coming back.

That realization had hit Harry hard in the stomach, some days before. He hoped against hope that Sirius wasn't gone forever, but the day before the train left Hogsmeade station to take him here, to Little Winging and his horrid relatives, he had realized. He was gone, and he wouldn't be back.

A tear slipped from his eye and rolled down his cheek. Harry shook his head fiercely, unwilling to cry again. He was dried up, and he was angry; he wouldn't cry, he refused to. 

As the sky darkened outside, Harry lay in bed watching the shadows on the ceiling and wondering what it would be like for him now, if Sirius hadn't been killed. He wondered if he'd be at Grammauld Place with his godfather, having a wonderful time.

One thing Harry learned during this was not to dwell too much on what could have been. It only made the hurt worse.

---  
'Tis short, I know. All lyrics used in this story will be by Our Lady Peace on their "Gravity" CD.


	2. Awkwardness Abounds

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

02. Awkwardness Abounds

__

There's nothing left to loose

Nothing takes your place

When they say you're not that strong

You're not that weak

It's not your fault

The first thought as Harry's foot stepped over the threshold of the Burrow's front door was that it hadn't changed a bit, and he was eternally grateful. He loved that he could always come back here, and it would always be the same. Life outside the house didn't cause it to become uncluttered or less homey. For the first time in weeks, Harry felt his spirits rise as he looked around the large kitchen. The table was clean, looking like it had just been scrubbed and dishes were doing themselves in the sink by the open window. Outside, the sun was shining brightly over the hill and finally…finally Harry felt that things would get better, that he would be okay.

Everything would be okay.

Crashing on the stairs announced the arrival of Ron's two older twin brothers, Fred and George. Both of them were dressed in Muggle clothes and had, apparently, forsaken Apparating everywhere for their mother's sanity. Beside Harry, Ron stood looking at him apprehensively. Harry ignored him, he didn't need any pity. Especially from his best friend.

"Harry!" George greeted him, clapping him on the back. "How've you been?"  
  
"Good," Harry replied gruffly, glad the twins weren't treating him any differently.

"That's obvious, as you look like hell," Fred commented, a grin on his lips as he received seething looks from Mr. Weasley, who had the day off from work and had picked Harry up through the Flu Network. 

Harry made to brush some soot off his baggy clothes, but George shook his head, "The bags under your eyes. Pig could probably sleep in them." Pig, as if he had heard his name and was going to come running, streamed down the stairs and began twittering madly around the kitchen until Ron scooped him out of the air, mumbling.

"I haven't been sleeping," Harry explained, clearing his throat. He suddenly felt as if he were on stage, in front of a million people who were requesting he do an Irish jig.

Ron stood around uncomfortably, glancing at his best friend and brothers, "Er…why don't we put your trunk upstairs? And Hedwig." He motioned to his father, who was holding Hedwig's cage in his hands, looking nervously around at his boys, and his honorary son.

"I'll do it," Mr. Weasley said briskly, setting Hedwig's cage on the table and pulling his wand from his pocket. He muttered a spell which sent both items into the air, where he carefully prodded them, and flew them up the stairs ahead of him.

"Mum's in Diagon Alley with Ginny," Ron explained, once his father was out of earshot, "They're shopping. Hermione's with them."

George plopped into a seat at the table, "Don't leave out what they're shopping for." He grinned at Harry, and motioned for him to sit, which he did, "Picking up some regular Muggle clothes. Mum says Ginny's grown up and she should dress as such. It surprised the hell out of us, we didn't realize Mum noticed that Ginny had stopped being five."  
  
"She's nearly as tall as you are now," Fred said to Harry, laughing at Harry's awestruck face. He had never considered that the youngest Weasley might actually grow up at some point. Ron had grown, Harry noticed, because his jeans left about three inches of skin showing.

Ginny, of course, had grown up a lot since Harry had met her…but he was interested, for some reason, to see what she looked like now. As if on cue, a coughing, sputtering girl rolled out of the fire place and under the table; all Harry saw was a mane of flaming red hair. Next came a stouter woman, Mrs. Weasley, who had lost a lot of weight since he'd last seen her. He supposed she'd been worried, about one thing or another and had cut down on her food intake to compensate. Last out of the fire was Hermione, who's sleek brown hair was in a high pony tail. She was wearing, to Harry's astonishment, a pink sundress and shiny high heels. He rarely saw her out of the school uniform, but even in the summers, she had never once worn pink.

As he gawked at her, she was brushing soot from her spotless dress (there was no doubt that she had put a spell on it to keep it clean), Ginny rolled out from underneath the table wearing an identical dress in lavender which accentuated her features and made her look a lot older than she really was. She smiled at Harry, "Hello. How are you?"  
  
Harry turned to look at her, doing a double take. He heard Ginny's voice, and saw a glimpse of her hair as she spilled from the fire, but he didn't register this person in front of him as Ginny Weasley. "Er----"  
  
Hermione jumped forward, throwing her arms around his neck in a quick hug, "Harry! How are you?"  
  
He didn't bother wondering why everyone was asking him how he was. He figured they were just waiting for him to start screaming, or crying, or throwing things all about the room. He hadn't been himself lately, even before Sirius' death. He registered all this to growing up, and hoped they'd assume the same.

"Oh, Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley cooed, stepping forward and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug; he was used to this kind of hug from her and though it hurt for a moment, he couldn't help but feel glad that she hugged him in such a motherly way. "It's so good to see you."

Harry cleared his throat, nodding curtly as she released him. Ginny and Hermione were standing together, both the same height, looking at him apprehensively as if he may begin shouting at them to get out of his way at any moment.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, sounding awkward, "I'll just start dinner, than, shall I? Yes. Hermione, dear, why don't you owl Neville and tell him he can come whenever he'd like."  
  
"Neville's coming?" Harry asked Ron, who nodded while rolling his eyes. Hermione bustled out of the room, without a backward glance at anyone.

"Oh, and Ron," continued Mrs. Weasley, just as Ron was standing up from the table; George and Fred watched him innocently, but with identical grins of mirth on their faces. Harry could tell they were plotting something. "Luna sends her regards. The girls and I saw her in Diagon Alley at the dress shop. My, she's a pretty girl, isn't she? Pity her father runs such a rag of a magazine---"  
  
Fred interrupted, "You still read it, though, don't you Mum."

She ignored her son as she waved her wand at random inanimate objects and sent them into action. "She is a sweet girl, though. Ginny and Hermione seem to get on with her very well. Of course, she and Ginny have been friends for years, but what with what happened last year…well, they're closer now. Anyway. She says hello."

Ron's ears turned pink, a sure sign that he was embarrassed. "Thanks, Mum, Harry and I'll go upstairs…and…put his stuff away…" he motioned for Harry to follow him, and Harry gratefully obliged. He hated being in the spotlight, especially in front of his favorite family in the world. 

"You and Luna, eh?" Harry asked, as the two of them climbed the stairs to Ron's room which sat on the very top of the house.

"Shut up, Harry," Ron replied, but Harry could see he was smiling.


	3. Just Like Old Times

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

03. Just Like Old Times

__

I remember feeling low

And I remember losing hope

And I remember all the feelings

And the day they stopped

We are we are all innocent

Ron and Harry were sitting on Ron's bed, side by side, dangling their legs over the edge and not talking. It was weird, for Harry, to be in Ron's presence and be silent. Of course, they had had their moments when they were angry and wouldn't talk…but this was different. This was Ron not knowing what to say to Harry, and Harry not wanting to initiate any talk that might lead to Sirius.

Harry knew one subject that would be safe. "Are you and Luna dating?" He felt a smile tugging at his lips, but knew that if Ron thought he was trying to take the mickey out of him, he'd refuse to talk at all.

"No," Ron answered quickly, shaking his head as the red in his ears deepened.

"She likes you," Harry commented lightly, looking at all the posters around Ron's room. He loved this room, mostly because he wasn't allowed to besmirch his own room at home, and loved the fact that Ron could do whatever he pleased. Within reason, of course.

"Yeah. Well." Ron laughed a hallow laugh, "Yeah."

Harry sensed a closing of this subject so he quickly switched gears, "What happened to Ginny?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, finally looking him in the eye.

"She's…I dunno. Older."  
  
"People get older, Harry," Ron laughed.

Harry shrugged, "Is she still dating Dean?"  
  
Ron raised an eyebrow, a smile quirking his lips, "Why? Are you interested? I mean, I did tell her to pick someone better than that other miscreant she'd found herself with, but…you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Harry wondered, feeling slightly abashed.

"Nothing," Ron assured him quickly, "It's just that, well, she used to fancy you quite a bit, right? Now the tables have turned?"  
  
"You've spent too much time with Hermione," Harry replied, laughing and standing up from the bed. "Heard from Percy?"  
  
"No. He's steering clear, still. Probably can't face us after he chose the losing side. So do you like Ginny?"  
  
"Of course I like her, she's your sister."  
  
"Do you LIKE like her?"  
  
"Are we twelve again?" Harry retorted, his voice harsh. "I want nothing more to do with girls. You know how things went with Cho."  
  
"Cho was different, Harry, and you know it."  
  
"Yeah, she only wanted to talk about Cedric and have a good cry."

Ron decided not to comment, he seemed to want to avoid fighting at all costs so he stood up and crossed to the closed door, "How about going to greet Neville?"  
  
"Why's Neville coming?" Harry asked, then regretted it because he knew he sounded angry about it. 

Ron gave him a look that plainly told him to stop being stupid, "He's our friend. Plus, he and Hermione have been…conversing over the summer. I think he fancies her."  
  
"I know he fancies her. But does she fancy him?"  
  
"Why are we twelve year old girls all of a sudden? What's gotten into us?"  
  
"We're food deprived," Harry said, sniffing what he soon realized was Mrs. Weasley's welcoming feast for him, and possibly for Neville as well.

"I hope that's it," Ron sighed, opening the door. "I'd hate for this to be permanent."

"If Luna stays away, I'm sure it won't be."  
  
"I'm going to hit you very soon, Potter."  
  
"You sound like Malfoy."  
  
"Oh, shut up."

Harry was glad of one thing, that was for sure; things with Ron were finally getting back to normal.


	4. Unbalanced Hormones

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

04. Unbalanced Hormones

__

Are you waking up

Holding your breath

Are you looking for something

I promise you one thing

I promise I'll always

Always be there

If Ginny realized that Harry was staring at her all through dinner, she didn't show it. If Hermione noticed that Neville was wearing a suit and bow tie in her honor, she didn't comment. Ron and the twins, the only partially sane of the bunch, were looking around the table as if they were on a foreign planet.

"Didn't it used to be that Ginny stared at Harry?" Fred asked in a hushed whisper as desert was put on the table.

"Yeah. What the hell happened?" Ron questioned, glancing across the table at his best friend, who had a dazed expression on his face.

"Obviously, she grew up," Hermione answered haughtily, "It's nice of someone to notice."

"I noticed," Neville piped up, though Ron wasn't sure he was just saying that to make Hermione happy, or if he actually had noticed. In any case, Ron wasn't too keen on his sister being the topic of discussion, particularly when it had to with Harry having romantic feelings for her, so he switched gears.

"How's the joke shop coming? Have you opened it yet?"  
  
"Ron. We've told you a million times, you're INVITED to the opening ceremony. We wouldn't have it without you." George helped himself to liberal amounts of pudding.

"I know, but every time I want to change the subject, I go to that. It's safe."  
  
Judging by the look of contempt on Mrs. Weasley's face when the joke shop was mentioned, it wasn't a safe subject, but as it wasn't breeched any further, no one got hurt.

Hermione noticed Mrs. Weasley tense beside her so she spoke up, "Mrs. Weasley, this dinner was wonderful! Not nearly as good as what they give us at Hogwarts!"  
  
Ron, Harry, Ginny, Neville and the twins all stared at her as if she had lost her mind. She shrugged and sunk lower in her chair.

"Speaking of Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley cast an angry look at the twins, who smiled at her as if nothing were wrong.

"Mum!" Ginny hollered suddenly, pushing her chair back and knocking it to the floor. Harry bent and righted it, all the while watching Ginny with interest. "I was supposed to send an owl to Luna. Is it all right if she comes to stay with us for the rest of the holidays?"  
  
Ron opened his mouth to protest, but Mrs. Weasley cut him off, "That's fine, dear." She waved her youngest child off and turned to her husband. "Arthur. Will you kindly ask your sons to de-gnome the garden after dinner? I would ask, but they never listen to me."  
  
Mr. Weasley looked at his sons with a perplexed expression on his face, "Boys, your mother---"  
  
"We heard her, Dad," Fred muttered, standing and taking his plate to the sink. He'd have sent it there by magic, but had already received death glares previous nights for doing just that.

George, Ron and Harry followed suit and the four of them went out into the garden, leaving Neville and Hermione as the only young adults at the table.

"Neville," Hermione said gently after a few moments silence, "Why don't we go for a walk."  
  
Neville jumped from the table and hightailed it do the kitchen door, Hermione walking slowly behind him. It was obvious, at least to Mrs. Weasley, that Hermione liked Neville, but there was no evidence to support the theory of her liking him as more than just a friend.

Ron was looking around the side of the house as the two dark figures crossed his lawn, headed towards the hill. He gawked, "Harry. I think Neville and Hermione are on a----romantic----walk."

Harry squeezed beside him between a bush, "No way." He glanced up at the well-lit house and turned to Ron, "Do you suppose you'd allow me to take Ginny on one?"  
  
"No," Ron said blandly, holding a smile back, "Not unless you want me to jinx you into next year."

"Point taken," Harry replied, nodding. "Do you suppose once you and Luna get together, you'll allow me to ask Ginny out?"  
  
"HARRY!" Ron yelled angrily, "You must have lost your mind!"  
  
"It's possible," Harry allowed, "Either that or I'm joking." He winked, "You can figure out which one, and get back to me." With that, he strolled off towards the garden where Fred had just pounced on a little figure running away from him.


	5. Seeing What's In Front Of You

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

05. Seeing What's In Front of You

__

I'm sorry I can't lie

I wasted too much time drowning

I've been blind

But I've opened up my eyes

Ron was glad Harry had stopped sulking and biting his head off every time he spoke, but he wasn't so glad that Harry seemed to have his sights set on Ron's little sister. Being an overly protective older brother, Ron usually scared most of Ginny's boyfriends away (at least the ones he knew about) but there was no way he could stop his best friend from asking her out. 

The following day brought a lot of sunshine and a trip to Diagon Alley to buy their school things. Only the boys and Mrs. Weasley went, however, because the girls had already gotten their things when they had gotten their new girlish wardrobes. Ron was grateful he wouldn't have to separate Harry and Ginny all day, but as they walked around in the hot sun, he pondered what it would be like if they did, indeed, get together.

Well, he thought to himself as Harry checked out the newest broomstick models, it would be better than Ginny dating that dolt from Ravenclaw. At least he knew Harry would treat her right. Or at least he thought he knew.

Harry hadn't had very good luck with his previous rendevouz with girls; Parvati Patil hadn't spoken to him for days after their Yule Ball troubles and Cho Chang still wouldn't look him in the eye. Before Harry's apparent fancy of Ginny, Ron had been sure the girls were to blame for these mishaps, but now he wasn't so sure. Of course, ultimately, it'd be up to Ginny, and Ron was okay with letting her choose herself.

Ron was feeling rather proud of himself for being so grown up about all this when Harry jabbed him in the ribs as they were walking out of Flourish and Blotts.

  
"Hey, isn't that your girlfriend up there coming out of Madame Malt's?" Harry asked, holding back laughter.

"No, it couldn't be, as I haven't GOT a girlfriend. You know that very well, may I point out."  
  
"You know, you're sounding more like Percy everyday."  
  
"Are you TRYING to get me to smash you in the nose?"  
  
"No, but is it working?"  
  
"Hello," came Luna's voice directly in front of them. 

Ron closed his mouth, having had a nice good retort on the tip of his tongue that wouldn't be appropriate to say in front of a lady, as it had many colorful swears. "Ermmm, hello…Loon--Luna."

Luna cast her eyes upon Harry and smiled, "How are you, Harry?"

"Fine, thanks, and you?" He was still trying to hold back laughter, he knew Luna fancied Ron, it was obvious to anyone, and Harry was not about to make it easy on his friend. Though, said a little voice in the back of his mind, Ron had never given him any trouble where Cho was concerned. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling bad about giving Ron a hard time. 

"I'm fine. Just getting my things for school." Harry noticed the two shopping parcels in her hands, as well as the wand sticking out from behind her ear and a Quibbler tucked under her arm. "My father's just gone off now, searching for new story ideas. He's run a bit dry lately, since there haven't been any attempts on your life."  
  
If Ron was hearing correctly, Luna had just made a joke. Before his brain registered that he should laugh, Luna was saying goodbye and walking past them into the book shop.

  
"She's funny," Harry commented, "Didn't realize that before. Maybe she's not really loony, maybe she's just being funny."

"Yeah. Right." Ron shrugged, "It doesn't matter anyway."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Because…well…we won't be seeing her very much, I'm sure."  
  
"Didn't Ginny invite her to the Burrow?"

"Do you remember EVERYTHING Ginny says, mate?"  
  
"Yeah, don't you?" Harry was grinning crazily now; he loved when he and Ron were bickering in a joking fashion, it took his mind off his troubles.

"No, I don't even listen when she speaks."

"You should, she says some very interesting things. Now that she talks around me, I've noticed."  
  
"Those were the days, weren't they?" Ron commented, leading the way over to where his mother stood, "When she didn't speak around you, only squeaked and ran from the room."

"No, not really," Harry said as they approached a smiling Mrs. Weasley, "I like this better."

"You would," Ron laughed.

Mrs. Weasley broke into their conversation, pulling the bags from their arms and stowing them together beside her in a mobile cauldron, "Have you seen Luna? Ginny's asked me to retrieve her and bring her back with us."  
  
Ron groaned and put his head in her hands; Harry nodded and told Mrs. Weasley where they'd last seen her. She went off to get her, leaving the two boys with the floating cauldron.

"This'll be good, eh, mate?" Harry said brightly once she was out of ear shot.

"I dunno what's good about it."  
  
"Well," Harry said seriously, though he had a joking grin on his face, "When Neville and Hermione and Ginny and I pair up to go on romantic walks, you'll have someone to go with!"  
  
"I've been telling you to shut up a lot lately, Harry," Ron replied, "And I'm going to do it again. Shut up."


	6. The First Pair

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

06. The First Pair

__

I crawled out from the pain of yesterday

I crawled to you and

I said all the things that you said to say

Have I said enough

"I'm not sure I understand," Hermione said, looking thoughtful as she and Harry stretched out in the Weasley's backyard to have a bit of a private chat. "You're asking me what?"  
  
"Do you think Ron really is upset about me liking Ginny or is he just putting it on?" Harry repeated, feeling antsy; his legs were bouncing up and down almost uncontrollably. Everyone else was inside helping Mrs. Weasley prepare lunch. He could hear her yelling at Fred and George about doing things the old fashioned way like Muggles, and then Fred and George's angry protests.

  
Hermione glanced inside and saw Neville scramble past the window with Fred at his heels, brandishing a wand. "It won't HURT Neville! We need to try this spell before we put it inside the Hopping Hippogriffs!"

"Hippogriffs don't HOP!" Neville yelled back, picking up his pace. Hermione heard a shattering glass as something was knocked over. Mrs. Weasley yelped and repaired it quickly.

"This is a candy! It's chocolate!" George yelled, "Just hold still! Ginny won't let us use her as a guinea pig anymore, since we sliced her hair off. And Ron's a Prefect, so he doesn't want to sacrifice himself for the better of the family."

"Being a Prefect has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING," Ron yelled at his brothers, "And stop chasing poor Neville."

Luna sighed dreamily, "You're so sweet, Ronald."  
  
"He hates being called Ronald," Ginny remarked; Hermione could see the two girls standing stoutly at the kitchen table, folding napkins and sending plates to spots on the table.

"I don't think it's either, to be honest," Hermione said after a moment of silent giggles.

  
"Well, what am I supposed to do then?"  
  
"Harry," Hermione said, scooting closer to him and lowering her voice, "Do you think this sudden---thing---for Ginny has to do with, well, wanting to replace a vacant spot in your heart?"  
  
"Are you a psychiatrist?"

  
"No, they prescribe drugs. You'd want to say psychologist, but I'm not one. I'm worried you're still very upset about Sirius, and to compensate, you're setting your attentions on Ginny."

"Well, that's not true," Harry replied, folding his arms across his chest and staring at Hermione with a hurt expression on his face.

"It's not?"

"No, for your information, I've always liked Ginny. It's just that now I've gotten to know her, and she's really grown up…and I fancy her. I'm not even afraid to tell you. Or HER for that matter."  
  
Hermione sighed and placed a hand gently on his arm, "Harry, I'm just worried about you."

"So is everybody else," Harry said bitterly, "And I'll tell you something, you don't NEED to be. I'm FINE."

Hermione pulled back, as if he's stuck her, "I just don't want you to jump into anything. I don't want you to hurt Ginny, because it'll effect us all."

Harry looked her straight in the eyes, calming his breathing before he spoke again, "I would never hurt Ginny."

"Not on purpose, no, but---"  
  
"Not at all," Harry said forcefully.

She nodded, "All right. Well, my advice, if you want it, is to talk to Ron seriously first before telling Ginny how you feel. We all know she used to have a slight crush on you, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't anymore. So, if you're willing to risk rejection…"  
  
"Hermione, I don't know how long I'm going to be around, you know the prophecy. I can't go another day holding this all inside, I need to let SOME things out. Some things, I'll admit, I'm keeping inside for a long time, but this needs to get out. I need to tell her."

"Tell who what?" Ron asked, breaking in on their heated discussion. Hermione shook her head; Harry glared at him, aggravated by the interruption.  
  
"Neville's going to be turning into a Hippogriff who hops if you don't go save him," Harry stated.

  
"Nah, he's fine," Ron replied, plopping down on the ground between them, "I've convinced them to practice on Trevor instead."

Harry laughed, Hermione's mouth flew open and she looked at him angrily, "You know how much Trevor means to Neville."  
  
"Well, he's YOUR boyfriend, not mine, so you go save him."

"For your information, Ronald Weasley, Trevor is a toad and therefore, not my boyfriend."  
  
"You know what I mean, Hermione," Ron replied, sighing heavily. She stood up, stomped her foot and stalked into the house, leaving the two boys in an uncomfortable silence.

"No one seems to have noticed that since Trevor is a toad he ALREADY hops, so a spell won't do anything. You're all so thick---" Harry was laughing, which made Ron trail off in mid sentence. He looked at him, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just funny. And the spell WILL do something if it backfires."  
  
"Whatever," Ron said, "The point is that neither Fred or George got the joke."  
  
"Wow, they must really be serious about all this, then."

Ron nodded, smiling, "Must be."

"DINNER!" Mrs. Weasley yelled loudly, breaking the early evening silence that had set itself upon the Burrow.

  
Ron and Harry both stood; Harry took this opportunity to talk to Ron, "Ron. Would you really be bothered if I asked Ginny out?"  
  
"No," Ron replied, "You'd be better than that twit. Or Dean. Nothing against Dean or anything, but he doesn't seem the type to settle down right away."  
  
"Neither am I," Harry said regretfully.

"No, I know, but still. If you fancy her, go for it. I don't care."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow in doubt, but decided not to press his luck, "Okay, thanks."  
  
When the two of them entered through the back door, they grabbed onto each other in shock and horror because in the shaded, dark corner of the living room, Neville and Hermione were locked in a tight embrace. Though it was dark, Ron and Harry could easily see that they weren't just having a friendly hug.

"Ugh," Ron muttered, pulling Harry into the kitchen behind him. "Snogging. In my HOUSE!"

Harry burst out laughing, "Ron, you're not getting what's going on here. Hermione and NEVILLE!"   
  
With that, Ron joined in the laughing and neither took any notice that the patrons of the new dinning room were staring at them very oddly indeed.


	7. Considering The Swamp

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

07. Considering The Swamp

__

Hold your head high

Don't look down

I'm by your side

Won't back down

You wanted a hero tonight

"I think I may be scarred for life," Ginny laughed, kicking a pebble a few feet ahead of her with the toe of her shoe. "Imagine Hermione and Neville. Is there a more unlikely pair?" She cast a cursory look at Ron and hastened to say in a whisper, "Well, besides you and Luna."

Ron gave her a look which made her giggle behind her hand, "There is no me and Luna."   
  
Luna was walking along a few paces behind them, her nose buried in the latest edition of the Quibbler.

Harry sighed, "I'll be all right if I can just get the image out of my head."  
  
"I know," Ginny agreed, laughing. "I mean, I knew Neville liked Hermione, but does she really fancy him back?"

Ron and Harry both shrugged; Luna caught up to them and said, "I think she does. Opposites attract, after all. Just like with Tramters, the females and the males appear to detest one another, but upon closer looks, it's always the ones who are most different that get together."

  
No one chose to say that there was no such thing as a Tramter.

"Neville is smarter than he lets on," Ron said after a moment, "I mean, he's really good with Herbology. I suppose all those extra study sessions with Hermione helping him…er…got them interested?"

"You're so articulate, Ron," Ginny remarked lightly, kicking the pebble again. The four of them were strolling around Ottery St Catchpole, as the sky grew darker up ahead. Neville and Hermione had chosen to stay back at the Burrow, Neville would be going home by flu powder in an hour and Hermione wanted to get a head start on The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six.

"You're just lucky you didn't see them going at it," Ron said moodily, "I will probably have nightmares for weeks. I'm not sure I can stay in the same room as him at night."

"Oh, come on, Ron. You're all getting older, it was only a matter of time before you all started dating one another."

"Since when are you so smart?" Ron countered, and Harry could sense a sibling blow-out coming soon. "Since you and Thomas were a thing?"

"Dean and I were never really a 'thing'," Ginny explained, "We only went out once. At the beginning of the summer. We're not together anymore. I'm too young for him, apparently."  
  
Ron nodded knowledgably, "Ah, yes, too YOUNG," he made a show of winking exaggeratedly at Harry, who shrugged it off.

"I'm only a year younger than you, remember," Ginny reminded him, kicking the pebble off the road and into the ditch. "Dean likes older woman. Like Professors."  
  
"Don't tell me," Ron muttered blandly, "He and Professor McGonagall are getting married in October."

"How'd you know!" Ginny yelled, stopping in her tracks and staring at her brother. Luna ran into her back, stumbled and nearly fell before Harry had a chance to steady her. He was staring at Ginny in shock, and Ron had a similar look on his face.

Ron, slack jawed and gawking, yelled "WHAT!?" rather loudly, so that the porch light of the house beside them turned on and an elderly looking woman with a cane came out, her fist raised at them. They quickly walked out of the light and to the other side of the street.

"I was KIDDING," Ginny said, sighing heavily, "Honestly, Ron. Professor McGonagall is about a hundred."  
  
"She's pretty spry for her age," Harry remarked, cocking his head to the side in thought.

"She is," Luna agreed, "I saw her jump a banister land slid down it last year to avoid the swamp Fred and George created."

Ron stared at her this time, looking perplexed, "That swamp was rather cool." 

"Yes, it was," Luna said, smiling at him. "I asked for them to make me one in a bottle that I could use to get out of doing household chores."

"Wouldn't that cause MORE chores?" Ginny wondered, beginning to walk again; the other three followed her.

Luna nodded, "I didn't think of that until after I used it."

"That's really a shame," Ron said, clicking his tongue in sympathy.

"Nah," Luna said, laughing, "They gave me the spell to remove it so it wasn't too bad."

Ron smiled at her and lead the way up his front walk. Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, eyebrows raised, both thinking the same thing about Ron and Luna's pending relationship.

When they all went into the house, Hermione was curled up on the couch, a large book in her lap, her nose nearly pressed to the paper. Neville was nowhere to be seen, presumably he had returned home, Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen with Mr. Weasley and the twins were upstairs; judging by the bangs every once in a while, they were working hard.

"It might help if you turned on some lights," Ron said, clicking on a lamp above her.

  
"Didn't want to loose my page," Hermione muttered, tenderly putting her finger on a word on the page and looking up at them all, squinting.

"You have a wand, you know," Ron reminded her, "You could have just used that."  
  
"Oh yeah!" Hermione said happily, smiling, "I sometimes forget."

"She can't use magic in the summers," Luna said, sitting in a big arm chair.

"Oh, right," Ron laughed sheepishly, "I sometimes forget THAT." 

They smiled at each other while Harry and Ginny took spots beside each other on the floor, a few feet away from one another.

"So," Ginny said, looking up at Hermione, "How are things with Neville?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, glancing up from her book again.

"You're dating, are you not?"

"No," Hermione laughed falsely, "What makes you say that?"

"You were snogging," Harry pointed out, and noticed the blush creeping up on Hermione's cheeks.

  
Ron sat in the seat beside her, "Or was that Trevor you were snogging? I get the two confused."  
  
Hermione glared at him, and stated blankly, "Very funny."  
  
Luna laughed hysterically, "I thought it was."


	8. Reluctant Hesitations

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

08. Reluctant Hesitations

__

The mystery's gone

So bring back the sun

We'll bury this hate

And build it with love

-"Bring Back The Sun"

After it was established that Hermione and Neville were dating, the following morning after breakfast, due to the proclamation that Hermione did, in fact, snog Neville and not Trevor, things went on smoothly between the group of teens.

That was, of course, until Harry made his move on Ginny without proper blessings from Ron, or so Ron thought at least.

"I'm going to knock all of your teeth out, Potter," Ron growled, putting his fists up in proper fight mode. "Or several, maybe. Okay, at least one."

Harry, repressing laughter so much that his stomach ached, made his voice come out more calmly than he felt. Ron may not be a very good fighter, but he was definitely taller than Harry, and had an advantage, though Harry didn't know what that was. "Ron, there's no need for violence."  
  
"KILL HIM!" Ginny hollered from the couch where she sat with Hermione.

Harry gave her a look, "You WANT your brother to beat me up, do you?"  
  
"Yes!" Ginny answered defensively, "You violated me!"

"YOU WHAT?!" Ron screamed so loudly that Hermione covered her ears and cast a quick glance at Luna, who was watching attentively from the fireplace. She had a look of utter adoration on her face.

Harry suddenly became quite scared, "I didn't!" He looked back at Ron, "I swear I didn't!"

"HIT HIM!" Ginny shrieked, jumping up from the couch. "Defend my honor, Ronald Weasley!"

Ron's fists flopped to his sides as he started blankly at his sister, "What are you going ON about?"

Ginny was an inch away from Ron now, her nose would have been touching his had she been taller. As it was, her nose was almost touching the middle of his sweater. "I want you to beat him to a pulp!"

"Why?" Ron looked down at the top of her head curiously.

"Because he tried to make a move on me!"  
  
"What did he do?" Ron asked reasonably. Before, he had been ready to just beat Harry up no matter what, but then the sensible side of his brain had kicked in and he'd wondered why he was about to beat up his best friend without real cause, or proof that anything had occurred.

"He----he----" Ginny was blushing furiously now, though more from anger than embarrassment as she wasn't easily embarrassed these days. The steam was slowly coming out of her as she fumbled for words. "He----HE SNOGGED ME!" 

Hermione gasped dramatically and flopped back against the couch, a hand over her mouth; Luna took a seat excitedly on the floor to watch the action closely.

Ron sat down in a chair by the fire and surveyed Ginny with oddly uncharacteristic thoughtfulness, "You used to write in your diary about that, why don't you want him to now?"

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Ginny hollered, seeing Harry's huge grin out of the corner of her eye. "You READ my DIARY!?"

"I had to make sure it wasn't another evil inanimate object, didn't I?"

"NO!"

"Well, anyway," Ron waved a hand dismissively. "I'd like to know why this bothers you so much. You used to fancy the pants off him. You used to sigh every time someone said his name, you used to run from the room whenever he entered, you used to blush whenever he spoke to you----"  
  
"That's quite enough," Ginny stated strongly, looking clearly agitated. "I'll have you know that---"  
  
"You didn't want me to snog you?" Harry asked suddenly, stepping in between she and her brother. Ron had to crane his neck around to get a good look at them now, which he did and received death glares from Hermione; he ignored them as usual, however, and continued to gawk.

"Of course I didn't," Ginny retorted, brushing her hair impatiently away from her face.

"Why?"  
  
"Because I LIKED it, all right? Now will you please shut the bloody hell up!"

Harry pulled back from her, looking shocked. "You liked it? But why are you causing such a fuss, then? Why can't we just go off and snog our brains out until dinner?"

Ron snorted and everyone gave him a look that he primly ignored, paying close attention to his cuticles and pretending not to listen any further to the conversation at hand.

"I used to fancy you. A lot," Ginny sighed heavily and shook her head. "When I got over that, it was wonderful. It was as if I were free to grow up and fancy whomever I liked without dragging you around all over the place with me. I didn't---don't---want to go back to being the girl who fancies Harry Potter. I like being known as Ginny Weasley, thank you very much, and I'm not going to have you ruin it just because you suddenly decide you'd like to snog me."

"I didn't suddenly decide," Harry replied, his voice angry and chipped. "I didn't just wake up and say 'Hey, maybe I should snog Ginny today!' I fancy you! I wanted to show you! I wanted to tell you! There were no ulterior motives. I promise. Just that I maybe wanted to ask you out."  
  
He was breathing heavily by the time he'd finished, because he ended up shouting halfway through the monologue. Hermione, Luna and Ron were surveying him impassively, but Ginny was staring at him as if she'd never seen him before.

"You've never made any sense to me, Harry Potter," she stated evenly. "And you still don't. I don't know what you'd want with me."

"Well, let's see, shall we?" His voice was laden down with immense sarcasm as he ticked off reasons on his fingers. "You're brave, you're smart, you're lovely, you're intelligent, you're beautiful, you're fun…" He sighed, "I have more, but it'll just take up the entire night standing here listing things when I could be doing much more fun things."  
  
"Like what?" She asked coyly.

  
"Like convincing you that I'm not a bad guy." He cast a scared glance at Ron, who was smiling and then he turned back to Ginny. "Some of which may involve my lips."

Ginny laughed loudly, "Bad guy? Harry Potter? Those two phrases do not go together. At all." She became more serious, "I didn't say you were a bad guy…I just didn't want to get hurt. I'll always see you as a schoolgirl crush, and I'm not keen on exploring that further seeing as how it only ends up in tears. As far as I can tell, anyway."  
  
"Well, you're wrong," he said sternly. "But I won't push you if you don't want anything to do with me other than our friendship, which I hope I haven't ruined."

"You haven't," she said, stepping closer to him. "And I'd like the rest of that list, please."

"You don't always get what you want, Ginny."  
  
"Nor do you."

Harry shrugged, "All I want is you. But if I can't have that, then I'll just go off on my merry way and pretend I'm not crushed."  
  
Ginny grinned up at him, and before anyone even knew what was happening, Harry was lowering his mouth to hers and wrapping his arms around her waist.

After several seconds, Ron got grossed out and pushed them apart, "That's enough public displays of affection. If you'd like to continue with your charade, you may do that…but not upstairs in a closed room…go outside in the garden." Ginny and Harry smiled at him, took each others hands, and walked towards the door; Ron shouted after them, "BUT NOT THE BUSHES!"

****


	9. Slight Surprises

Bring Back The Sun

09. Slight Surprises

It's all for you

You got me where you want

It's all for you

Just stop breaking my heart

-"All For You"

"I think it's adorable how you protect your little sister, Ronald," Luna said from her position on the floor; her wand was now tucked behind an ear and she was gazing placidly at Ron, her fingers laced together in her lap.

Ron looked away from where he'd been staring outside, at the bushes. "Er, thanks." 

Hermione cleared her throat. "Luna's an only child, aren't you Luna."  
  
"Yes, I am," Luna replied blandly. "I find large families, like Ronald's, fascinating."

Ron's eyebrows narrowed. "Do you."

"I've always wanted to be a part of one."

Ron's mouth dropped open, and he glanced at Hermione to make sure he didn't need his hearing checked; she was giggling behind her hand, but tried to pretend she was coughing.

"Do you want to go for a walk, Luna?" Ron asked, clearing his throat several times because suddenly his voice had become very high pitched.

Luna's face lit up with delight. "Will we be monitoring the bushes to make sure your sister and Harry aren't doing anything indecent?"  
  
Hermione giggled loudly; Ron tugged at the collar of his shirt. "Er, no. I was just thinking we might go for a walk. Just a walk."

Luna nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love that!"

She bounced up off the floor, wrapped her hand around Ron's arm, and dragged him towards the front door.

"Have fun, you two!" Hermione called, stifling her giggles. 

When Ron returned, his face was so red that he might have been mistaken for a beetroot, and his ears were even more red, making him resemble some sort of angry chipmunk. Luna had a besotted sort of face, and floated around as if walking on air. It didn't take Sherlock Holms to figure out what was going on. But it did take Hermione.

"Finally," she huffed, turning a page in her book.

"Finally what?" Harry asked from the floor, where he'd been reading a book about Quidditch; Ginny was above him in an armchair, a sketchbook in her lap.

"Ron and Luna," Hermione answered obviously, gesturing towards the stairs, where Ron had just disappeared to; Luna was floating around in the kitchen, presumably.

"What about them?" Harry questioned, craning his neck around to get a good look at the staircase.

"Did you notice Ron's red face?"  
  
"No."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "Boys."  
  
"No kidding. He wouldn't know anything had happened if it hit him in the face," Ginny commented, squinting at her drawing.

"Hey!" Harry put his book on the floor. "I'm sitting right here."  
  
"Yes, we see you," Ginny replied evenly, not looking at him. 

"Luna and Ron?" Harry repeated blankly, as if he was just catching on.

"Yes!" Ginny and Hermione yelled simultaneously.

Luna appeared in the doorway, then, drinking from a glass. "I'm going to bed," she announced dreamily. "Good night."  
  
"Night," the three of them responded in the same stoic tones.

"Will nothing ever be the same again?" Harry stated, throwing his hands up in the air.

"God, I hope not," Ginny remarked, laughing.

****


	10. The Deep End

****

Bring Back The Sun

****

10. The Deep End

__

I need a fresh start

'Cause I was in heaven

'Till this world fell apart

-"Sell My Soul"

When school started, Harry was happier than he ever remembered being. It was almost like he had a new lease on life, or some other over-used Muggle phrase.

He and Ginny were together, but not obviously so, and not grossly so, much to Ron's appreciation. They sat together at meals, held hands in the corridors, and only kissed when no one was around.

Neville and Hermione continued to 'date', but mostly they just did homework; Neville always wore a suit and a bowtie, and Hermione always commented on how dapper he was looking. Neville always blushed. And if Ron was around, he always tried to hide his sniggering.

Luna and Ron were awkward around each other, still, and it didn't matter how many walks they went on. Things were still weird between them, but it was sweet to watch them because you could tell Ron was trying very hard to be considerate and thoughtful.

Harry still missed Sirius as if a part of his heart had been misplaced and he had yet to recover it. Before he'd felt he would drown in his own miseries, fall deeper into despair and never reach the surface.

Now he felt he'd pull through, as long as he had an anchor.

There was no bringing him back, of course, and he knew this now; he'd reserved himself to the fact. Sometimes, out of the blue, Sirius' face would pop into his mind and Harry would feel the familiar prickling behind his eyelids, or the familiar constricting of his stomach, and the rapid beating of his heart.

But then, just as it had come, it would fade to the back of his brain and Harry would continue with whatever it was he was doing. The misery was only sporadically on the surface, but it was always there. Always in the deep end of his mind.

Harry missed Sirius terribly.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked, leaning over to him and whispering his ear.

Harry nodded mutely and felt Ginny's soft hand reach to take his under the table. He felt better having her there beside him; he felt he could face whatever would come at him this year, whether it be Draco Malfoy's taunts, or Lord Voldemorts attempted destruction.

He managed to smile across the table at Ron, who was watching him nervously. Ron was always on alert, always ready for Harry to fall to the floor in agony and complaining of scar pain.

It drove Harry mad some days, but mostly he was grateful that he had a friend who cared that much.

"Quidditch practice this afternoon," Ron stated hesitantly, cocking his head to the side and peering at Harry.   
  
"Fantastic!" Harry's voice was more cheerful than he felt, but at least the thought of Sirius wasn't so strong at the current moment. He swallowed. "I can't wait to get started."  
  
And that was true.

Because Harry didn't want to wait around for something to happen. Harry was the type to make things happen himself.

After all, he was the boy who lived.


End file.
